1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an inflation passive restraint system for use in an automobile for restraining the movement of a seated occupant during a collision, and more particularly, to an improvement in the structure for housing and positioning the gas generator and inflatable bag on the passenger side of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The housing structure of a vehicle passive restraint system provides protection for the gas generator and the inflatable bag until the time of deployment of the latter. Additionally, it absorbs the loads generated by deployment of the bag. These loads are large and unless sufficiently absorbed can cause damage to the vehicle interior including dash panel parts. Thus, it has been the practice in the prior art to use heavyweight, and in particular steel, structures for housing and positioning passenger inflators to prevent such damage.
Emphasis on weight reduction in automobiles has created a need, and a demand, for a lighter weight passenger side inflation passive restraint system. It has been determined that a most significant weight reduction in the sytem can be achieved by the substitution of aluminum for the heavy steel structure used to house and position the gas generator and the inflatable bag. Aluminum already is being used in the external housing as well as the internal structure of gas generators. Such usage is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,342, issued Oct. 15, 1985 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,675, issued Dec. 31, 1985 to Gary V. Adams et al. for driver inflation passive restraint systems and in application for U.S. patent bearing Ser. No. 372,994 filed June 29, 1989 by Donald R. Lauritzen et al. for passenger side inflation passive restraint systems. The Adams et al. patents and the Lauritzen application are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.